The Falcon Blades
by Sunfire248
Summary: Eva is set on becoming a knight. On her way to Corus she comes across a group of runaway girls that call themselves the Falcon Blades, who are set upon stopping their enemies, The Dark Mages. Will Eva join these girls? All she wanted was a little glory!
1. Eva of Gather's Bridge

"Don't go… please Eva think about this!" Eva's mother pleaded, her eyes full of pain. Eva of Gather's Bridge couldn't stand to hurt her mother this way, but her mind was made up years ago.

"Ma, don't make this harder than it needs to be," Eva begged, taking a step back. "This isn't the life I was meant to lead." Eva was born on a tiny farm in the southern part of Tortal. Gather's Bridge was a chunk of land between Queen's Hill and a small town called Omilder. There was nothing special about Gather's Bridge, and Eva didn't even see much point in giving it a name at all. The land was flat, and the weather never varied much other than the hot sun that beat upon their backs every day.

"Eva you'll never make it to Corus unscathed. You've no idea the danger that you'll encounter before you even take three steps out of Omilder. Even with the Gift running away is never-"

"I'm not running away," Eva hissed through clenched teeth. "And I told you, I'm heading to Tramelet to travel with those delivering goods to Corus. Once I reach Tramelet I'll be fine, you've always said there's strength in numbers."

"What of the forest between Omilder and Tramelet? You'll never be able to cross by yourself!" Eva's mother wailed. But Eva was beyond hearing her. All her life she had tried to train herself to be a fighter. It wasn't easy. Her father and many brothers could teach her a few basic skills of battle, but she needed a real teacher. There was so much that she didn't know that she was desperate to learn. Every night she dreamt of one day becoming a knight, and being able to defend her country. But whenever she attempted to speak to her father about her dreams he always told her that the Gods didn't smile on women who wanted to become knights.

"For Mithros' sake, mother! I'm strong enough to get through the forest on my own. I'll send word to you once I reach Tramelet," Eva promised. She turned around and began taking the first steps of her new life.

"Eva, wait!" Her mother called, but Eva didn't stop. She walked past her brothers and father tending the beans that they grew with her head held high. Her family knew what she was planning to do, and in response they had all started acting as if she didn't exist. All except her mother. Unfortunately for Eva, she would be walking to Corus. Her family wasn't very wealthy, and it was all they could do to afford proper clothes for everyone considering how quickly her brothers grew.

Eva's family hadn't originally been from Corus, her parents were born in Sarain and the way they told it they had come to Tortall with a group of others for a chance at a better life. Her father said that they were all ready for a change in the way they were living, and an entire town's worth of people all just decided to emigrate to Tortall. But Eva knew better. The people had escaped to Tortall because Tortall was against slavery. Those that came from Sarain all had dark skin, and were treated worse than dirt where they came from. Eva thanked the Gods every day that she was born in Tortall.

Omilder was only a day away from Gather's Bridge traveling by foot. The sun was only just beginning to rise up, and Eva planned on walking all day so that she'd make it to Omilder by nightfall. She needn't worry about bandits so long as she stayed on the road. Besides, she wasn't carrying another of worth anyway. Just some dried fruit and a few coins she managed to obtain from her mother. She needn't be alert, so her mind wandered to what she thought her journey would be like. Eva knew that being a knight wasn't all glory, and there would be many years of hard work involved, and she was willing to do it.

Working on a farm her whole life, Eva didn't tire easily. When she finally arrived in Omilder, Eva was barely tired at all. She even considered not stopping for the night and continuing onto Tramelet, but that would be foolish, and if Eva wanted to make it to Corus she would have to keep her wits about her.

Eva had been to Omilder many times before, and she knew exactly which tavern to go to spend the night. When she got there, no one looked especially surprised to see her. She paid for a room and hurried to bed. She would have to rise early tomorrow if she wanted to cross the forest in two days flat. Sleep didn't come easily, though. She tried hard not to think of what she was about to do tomorrow, but she couldn't help it. Finally she became so tired that she just shut down with no warning.

Eva rose at dawn, as excited and full of energy as she could hope for. She stopped only to wash up and eat, and then she headed out of Omilder and to the forest.

Eva stopped in front of the solitary path that led into the forest. For the first time on her trip, Eva felt a wave of fear wash over her. None ventured into the forest lightly; it was the perfect hiding place for thieves and bandits. Not to mention all of the wolves that lurked in the shadows. But Eva had one thing that she knew would always be there to protect her. She had the Gift. There wasn't much that Eva knew how to do, but she knew how to call up a shield to defend herself if need be. But Eva's Gift drained quickly, and she swore to herself that she would use it in emergencies only. With that in mind, Eva started into the forest.


	2. A New Obstacle

Eva cursed herself yet again for wearing skirts into the forest. It was stupid of her; they kept catching on brambles and thorns every few steps she took. Finally Eva just stopped, took out her dagger, and cut off a strip of cloth on the bottom of her skirt that was already torn beyond repair. Eva straightened up and was about to continue walking along the path when she heard a sound.

It wasn't unfamiliar, she had heard it once before almost in this exact same spot. She had come with her father and her eldest brother, Ramador, on a hunting expedition when food was scarce. They had been desperately hungry that year, only extreme hunger could drive them into entering the forest. Unfortunately they didn't get much, for they had run into a pack of wolves.

Eva held up her dagger and backed towards a tree behind her. If she was lucky, she might be able to scramble up the tree before the wolves reached her. Judging by the rustling in the undergrowth, she was already surrounded and any hopes of fighting her way through were long gone. Eva tensed, getting ready to turn and bolt for the tree, but she never got the chance. The lead wolf of the pack charged out of a bush on her right, and leapt straight for Eva's throat!

Without thinking, Eva used her Gift to shield herself. A wall of pale green light about three feet across appeared, and the lead wolf slammed its head directly into it. Eva gasped, the force needed to stop the wolf's momentum was great, and it was already sapping Eva's strength at an alarming rate.

Snarling furiously, the wolf circled around Eva, trying to fight a weak spot in her shield. Eva moved her shield with the wolf's movements, trying not to let him get past her. That was a big mistake. Three smaller wolves finally revealed themselves, and each took up a position around Eva. The light from her shield was fading, and it was only a matter of time before it broke entirely. One of the smaller wolves was just crouching down to make its first pounce, when it suddenly fell to the ground, an arrow protruding through its chest.

Eva's shock from seeing the arrow was enough to break her shield. Luckily she didn't need it anymore. When she looked up the lead wolf had fallen, an arrow embedded in its skull. The other two turned tail and ran for all they were worth. A few moments passed, Eva's hands were shaking and her heart was pounding so quickly that she was sure that she would pass out if she had to wait any longer. Finally, three girls jogged onto the path and stopped right in front of Eva.

"What do we have here, a young girl traveling through the woods all by herself? That's just about begging the Gods for death, that is," one of the girls chuckled. She was tall, with tan skin and wide hazel eyes. Eva couldn't be sure of what her hair color was, for all of the girls were wearing shawls that hid their hair completely.

"You… you saved me," Eva stammered in disbelief, looking at the longbows that each of them held loosely by their sides.

"Yeah, that's kind of what we do. Where are you headed?" another girl spoke up. This one had dark skin like Eva's, and it was obvious even through her clothes that she had a lot of muscle.

"What's it to you?" Eva asked defensively. Her head was starting to clear again, her heart slowing down at last. Even though these girls had just saved her life, she wasn't sure if she could trust them.

"Are you running away?" The first girl asked, eyeing Eva's dagger carefully.

"No, I'm heading to Corus. I'd like to try and become a knight," Eva informed them, holding her head high. But the girls didn't laugh. Instead, they exchanged a whispered conversation in a language that Eva couldn't identify. It struck Eva that they might be sizing her up, wondering how easy it would be to take her down and steal what few coins she had on her. Before Eva could prepare herself for another fight, all three girls laid their longbows down on the ground and stepped closer to her.

"My name is Wersa of Fowler's Point. This is Kathryn, and that's Bethany of Alsdurry. We'd like to show you our camp if you'll follow us a ways," the tan girl called Wersa invited politely. But Eva wasn't convinced.

"You have a camp here in the forest? Why don't you just go to Omilder?" Eva asked curiously. The girl called Bethany sighed.

"Because we don't want our presence here known yet. The Falcon Blades act discreetly without anyone knowing what we're up to until we've gone," Bethany, a pale skinned girl with light blue eyes explained patiently. Eva was speechless. The Falcon Blades sounded like a group of outlaws to her. She was about to refuse when the girl named Kathryn took her arm in a solid grip.

"Let's just show you, eh? Maybe that will answer some of your questions," Kathryn suggested firmly. Wersa and Bethany went back to pick up their bows, and then they stepped off the path with Kathryn dragging the reluctant Eva by the arm.

"Careful you don't break her Kathryn!" Wersa jested brightly as they weaved in and out of the trees. "We don't want Rebekkah to think the poor girl's done something wrong!"

"I still don't know if this is a good idea. We just took in Zelaine and I don't know if Rebekkah wants another fledgling on her hands," Bethany grumbled. There was a moment of silence as they all skirted a patch of brambles. Eva felt like a prisoner. She had no idea what these girls were talking about, and she had no way of fighting them. They outnumbered her at three to one, and these girls clearly knew a thing or two about fighting. At least they didn't seem to want to hurt her. Maybe Eva could find a way to get away once they reached the "camp".

"I'd be willing to teach her," Wersa told Bethany. "It seems like she has the Gift, even if she's no idea how to use it." Wersa chortled heartily. Bethany still didn't seem convinced, but apparently the decision wasn't hers to make. At this point even if Eva could escape, she had absolutely no idea where they were anymore. They were long gone from the path, and for all Eva knew they were headed straight to nowhere.

Eva gave up listening to her captors; it was all she could do to focus on not tripping over the tangle of roots in her way. She wished that they'd slow down a bit, but she didn't dare ask. Eva was just starting to lose the feeling in her arm when they all arrived in a clearing. What she saw didn't quite register in her brain.

There were about twelve girls in the clearing, all of them bustling about doing chores such as gathering firewood and setting up tents. One girl in particular seemed to be in charge. She was giving orders in the calm, composed manner of a leader. Wersa, Bethany, and Kathryn came up to this girl and Kathryn finally let go of Eva. It didn't matter anymore, Eva wasn't going anywhere.

"Ah, Wersa you can't keep bringing me every girl you happen across who's by herself. I don't think we can support another one," the girl was saying. She had light skin and sharp brown eyes that seemed to take everything in with a mere glance.

"But Rebekkah, she has the Gift! She can be my fledgling; I see potential in her, don't you?" Wersa beseeched. Rebekkah turned her gaze to Eva. Eva tried not to show how frightened she felt and met Rebekkah's eyes. She felt like Rebekkah was seeing right through her and into the depths of her soul. Eva didn't know why, but she sensed that it was important that she impressed Rebekkah. So she let Rebekkah examine her and hoped that she passed the test. Rebekkah gave a small nod.

"She does show promise. What's your name, girl?" Rebekkah asked bluntly.

"I am Eva of Gather's Bridge. I was planning on going to Corus to try for knighthood," Eva didn't know why she was telling Rebekkah this. It's not like Rebekkah would care anyway.

"Are you a noble? Can you afford being a knight?" Kathryn inquired. Eva didn't have an answer to that.

"Well, Rebekkah?" Wersa begged. There was a tense moment of silence while Rebekkah thought about it. Eva was silently fuming. Who did these girls think they were? They were hardly older than her and they were standing around deciding if they'd let her join their precious Falcon Blades. Who said she even wanted to join?

"Fine, show her around. If she wants to she can join us as your fledgling, Wersa." Rebekkah announced. With that the group broke up until it was just Wersa and Eva.

"What does she mean, fledging? Will someone please explain what's going on!" Eva exclaimed, thoroughly exasperated. Wersa put an arm around Eva's shoulder and led her through the camp.

"Gladly."


	3. Rebekkah of Tortall

"Tortall is an amazing place to live," Wersa began, as she and Eva sat down outside what Eva presumed to be Wersa's tent. "It's a land full of opportunities and promise. But sometimes things don't always turn out the way we expect, and you can find yourself in a situation that seems quite hopeless. The Falcon Blades was started by Rebekkah about two years ago, there's nothing special about any of us, we're just a group of misfits who ran out of options."

"What do you mean, 'ran out of options'?" Eva interjected. So far Eva didn't see any real reason why she shouldn't trust Wersa, so she figured she'd be a good listener… for now.

"Well take Calliet, for example. She was kidnapped and held as a slave by a large group of bandits for five months. Calliet probably would have died there from all the abuse she took from them. Thankfully we saved her from that terrible fate," Wersa shuddered. "For a girl like you, dirt poor, strong willed, and eager to fight; The Falcon Blades is practically your calling."

"Tell me about how it got started," Eva requested, settling down for a long story.

"Okay, Rebekkah of Tortall-"

"Did you say Rebekkah of Tortall?" Eva interrupted, astonished at the name. Wersa simply grinned at Eva's confusion.

"Yes. Rebekkah was not born in any town or city, but born among a group of people that called themselves the _Arai Tao _which is ancient Yamani meaning those who wander. At the age of fifteen, Rebekkah and her group the _Arai Tao _were traveling along the river that runs Tortall's border with Tusaine; when something very dreadful happened." Wersa paused to gather herself. "Rebekkah's mother grew very ill, and to this very day no one knows exactly what she had. The disease was extremely contagious, and spread among all of the _Arai Tao_ with deadly speed. Eventually everyone was sick, and I'll spare you the details of precisely what the illness's effects were. Rebekkah's poor mother was the first to pass away. It absolutely devastated Rebekkah to watch her mother die and not be able to do anything to help her." Wersa drew a shaky breath.

"What happened to the rest of the _Arai Tao_?" Eva asked, dying to know what happened, but not entirely sure that she wanted to hear.

"Each of them gradually grew worse and worse, until the sickness had wiped them all out," Wersa continued sadly. "The only one never to catch it was Rebekkah."

Suddenly a piercing shriek split the air, making Eva leap to her feet and pull out her dagger in shock. Wersa gently pulled her back down.

"Relax, Eva. It's only Emron." Wersa explained calmly. Eva looked around for the source of the shriek and saw nothing at all.

"Is Emron invisible?" Eva asked wearily. This caused Wersa to chuckle softly at poor Eva's puzzlement.

"Just watch Rebekkah and it'll all become clear." Wersa stated plainly. Eva obeyed and looked at Rebekkah, to see that she was gazing into the air with an expectant look on her face. Eva noticed that she was standing in a firm position, with one arm out looking most peculiar. Almost out of nowhere an enormous falcon the size of a large crow came shooting down heading straight towards Rebekkah. With practiced ease, Rebekkah held her arm up and the bird landed smoothly on her outstretched arm.

"Hello, Emron," Rebekkah greeted, fondly stroking the bird's beak. "What news of the Dark Mages?" If Eva didn't know better, she'd say that Rebekkah was talking to the bird! As if it could understand her!

"In case you're wondering, Rebekkah has a small Gift," Wersa clarified unnecessarily. "Her power is very limited, though. All she can do is communicate with birds. Hence the name The Falcon Blades, technically Emron was the first member."

Eva just stared at Rebekkah and Emron, her mouth hanging open.

"You see, Rebekkah was suddenly all by herself, with nothing to rely on but her own survival skills. She'd always been able to talk to birds, but she'd never truly befriended one before. On her way to the nearest city, she found Emron lying on the forest floor with a broken wing. Naturally, Rebekkah couldn't leave him there, so she took him in, cared for him, and fixed him up. Once he was healed, he refused to leave her side; she had found a traveling companion." Wersa carried on with her story.

"What gave her the idea of forming a group of warrior girls?" Eva inquired curiously.

"She didn't really 'get an idea'. What happened was on her way to civilization, Rebekkah found a girl all on her own, stumbling desperately through the woods. She was being chased by two men, who Rebekkah easily took down by surprise because they had their back turned. The girl was grateful to Rebekkah, and told her that she was running away from an awful home. Rebekkah offered to let her travel with her, and asked her for her name. The girl was Natalyia, who is currently Rebekkah's Second-"

"What do you mean, Second?" Eva asked.

"Natalyia is Rebekkah's Second in Command; she helps Rebekkah to lead The Falcon Blades. And as they journeyed through Tortall together, more and more girls joined, were taught to fight, and became members of The Falcon Blades. Your role in the group is what we call a fledgling. I am your teacher, and will teach you survival skills, how to fight, and how to control your Gift," Wersa said.

"So what is it that The Falcon Blades are fighting against?" Eva inquired. Wersa's face darkened.

"I will tell you later. Now, come on!" Wersa jumped to her feet, eagerly pulling Eva to hers. "It's time to begin your training!"


	4. First Day

"Before you can learn how to fight, you have to build up your endurance. Endurance is important among The Falcon Blades because we are always traveling, and none of us can afford horses. You must be able to run effortlessly through thick undergrowth, climb the steepest hills, leap across rivers, and more if you want to run with The Falcon Blades," Wersa was saying. Eva was trying her hardest to pay attention, but that was difficult when you were sprinting full speed through unfamiliar territory with a heavy pack to carry.

"We never stop to wait for each other, either you keep up or you're left behind!" Myra called over her shoulder. Wersa, Eva, Myra, and Allison were told by Nataylia earlier that day to go hunting. By Eva's count they had been running through the dense forest for hours.

"Don't worry, Eva. We're almost there," Allison encouraged between gasping breaths. Eva took a second to look up and see Allison smiling supportively. Allison was Myra's fledgling, and so far she seemed nice enough. Wersa slowed her pace and put a hand up, indicating that the others should do the same.

Eva tucked her hair behind one ear and crept up to Wersa, who was motioning for her to catch up.

"Hunting is all about stealth and timing. Hand me an arrow," Wersa ordered, pulling her bow out from behind her back. "Aim will come with practice and experience, now watch Myra and I as we creep just close enough for a good shot. And for the God's sakes, Eva would you please quiet your breathing!" Wersa hissed between her teeth. Eva instantly tried to slow her heavy breathing; she was still trying to catch her breath from the long run.

"Climb that tree for a better view of our techniques," Myra suggested, gesturing towards a large Elm tree. Allison nodded and started up the tree with little difficulty. Eva, having grown up on a farm, struggled a little but eventually made her way up to sit next to Allison.

"Can you shoot a long bow?" Allison asked as they watched Wersa and Myra making their way soundlessly through the woods towards a herd of unsuspecting deer.

"No, is that a problem?" Eva asked worriedly. Allison shook her head.

"Oh no, don't worry Zelaine is fairly new too, and she didn't know how to shoot either," Allison reassured her. Eva didn't say any more, she was too busy studying Wersa's every movement. Myra and Wersa communicated silently with hand signals so that they could together decide on a target.

"So you have the Gift, huh?" Allison asked, her blue eyes shining with wonderment. Eva nodded, still examining her teacher's techniques.

"I sure wish I had the Gift. Maybe I could have given us some rain…" Allison murmured.

"What do you mean by that?" Eva asked, still not taking her eyes off of Wersa and Myra.

"My family starved to death because of a terrible drought. We owned a farm, you see," Allison explained, her eyes clouding with hard memories.

"I'm very sorry," said Eva honestly. Allison shook her head and focused on their teachers again.

"Think nothing of it; I shouldn't have brought it up. We're always pleased to have new members with the Gift." Allison said. That was when Wersa and Myra both stood up and shot at an unwary doe in one swift movement.

"Alright, you two can come down, now." Myra shouted. There was no use in staying hushed anymore; the herd of deer had already fled. Eva groaned, she wasn't looking forward to carrying that deer all the way back to camp.

"You know, you're a bit peculiar, Eva." Allison said bluntly as the two of them descended from the tree.

"How so?" Eva asked, not the least bit insulted. Her brother Idan used to call her weird all the time.

"You're the only one of us who wasn't running away from something. You're the only one of The Falcon Blades here by choice," Allison told her, as she dropped from the tree and hurried off to meet Myra. Eva dropped soon after and hurried off to catch up with Wersa.

"You'll have some target practicing later on today, along with battle practicing after the evening meal," Myra was saying to Allison.

"Hand to hand, or with swords?" Allison asked hopefully.

"Hand to hand, with Zelaine and Rebekkah." Myra answered.

"We'll be doing target practice as well, but you and I will be training with your Gift rather than hand to hand combat training after the evening meal," Wersa told Eva. Eva felt her jaw drop.

"But Wersa, I'm already exhausted! I'll surely be drop dead if I have to do all that!" Eva protested.

"Now, now Eva! Let's get something straightened out right now," Wersa scolded, wagging her finger at Eva. "I don't listen to _anything _following the words, 'But Wersa'." Eva sighed and hung her head dejectedly.

"Come, we should start heading back," Myra suggested. Allison bent over to pick up the newly caught doe.

"No, no Allison. Eva will handle the doe," Wersa grinned an evil smile. Allison didn't need to hear it twice. She ran forward to catch up with Myra before Wersa changed her mind.

"How am I supposed to carry that back all by myself?" Eva exclaimed.

"With your Gift," Wersa answered simply. Eva just stared at her blankly. "Your Gift isn't very strong yet. It's time we started strengthening it. Come on, gather yourself together, and focus your energy on lifting the doe," Wersa ordered gently.

Eva decided it was better to just did as Wersa bid her rather than argue. So she closed her eyes, found her Gift, and reached it out towards the doe. When she opened her eyes, the doe was floating about three feet off the ground! In her astonishment, Eva's focus broke and the deer dropped to the forest floor again.

"Eva, can you not hold your focus for more than a second?" Wersa chided, but not sounding altogether displeased. "It looks like we've found something we need to work on." Wersa stepped forward and took Eva's hands. "Relax, and close your eyes. Open your mind to all that lies around you. Now find the deer. Center in on that one thought, and don't let go."

Eva did as she was told, and emptied her mind off all thoughts except for the doe. And this time, when she opened her eyes, the deer continued to stay in the air.

"Excellent! Now come on, Myra and Allison are ages ahead of us!" Wersa yelled. And with that, Wersa took off. Eva trotted forward tentatively, and glanced back to make sure the deer was still airborne. Thankfully, it was. Eva grinned and dashed forward; following Wersa carefully to be certain she didn't get left behind.


	5. Learning

The sun was just starting to set when Eva stumbled into camp. Sweat glistened on her bronze skin, and the doe was dragging on the ground behind her pitifully. With a hiss of annoyance, Eva swiped a hand up to brush the hair out of her face for what seemed to be the umpteenth time.

"Think fast!" A high pitched voice called towards Eva. Eva looked up to see a long sheet of cloth flying towards her. Letting go of her Gift and dropping the deer, Eva straightened and caught the billowing piece of fabric.

"Nice catch!" the girl with the high pitched voice praised, coming to a stop in front of Eva. "And welcome to The Falcon Blades! I'm Tillie, our only Healer and one of Rebekkah's Advisors. Since you have the Gift I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot of each other," Tillie squeaked. Eva was surprised to see that the girl was a head shorter than her. Growing up with four older brothers, Eva wasn't used to looking down to see other people.

"Uh… hello," Eva panted awkwardly. "What's this for?" Eva asked, holding up the cloth. Tillie's light brown eyes twinkled merrily.

"Have you not noticed that every girl here is wearing a head scarf?" Tillie asked, gesturing out around the camp. The truth was, Eva had noticed, she just never put any thought into it. To her, these girls were still as unfamiliar and foreign as a new goat on her family's farm.

"Not very observant are you?" Tillie teased, hitting Eva's arm playfully. A group of girls consisting of Rebekkah, Natalyia, and Kathyrn were conversing quietly nearby; and now Natalyia stepped forward and laid a hand on Tillie's scrawny shoulder.

"Come, Tillie. Rebekkah wants your opinion on something Emron has told her," Nataylia whispered, and began leading Tillie away.

"Elena, would you show Eva how to tie her head scarf?" Tillie shouted with her tinny voice as she was led away by Natalyia. A lanky girl who looked to be a little younger than Eva came bobbing forward.

"Hi, I'm Tillie's fledgling, Elena. Watch me as I tie this and then you can give it a try," said Elena as she began to take off her dark brown head scarf. With the scarf off Eva could see that Elena's hair was dirty blonde and quite long.

"Are you training to become a Healer, or to fight?" Eva inquired curiously.

"Sort of both. Now we wear these scarves for a number of reasons. One, it keeps ticks, dirt, and twigs out of our hair. Two, it keeps our hair out of our face, which is helpful when your running through the woods. Three, it makes it harder for enemies to recognize you, because these scarves blend in with the foliage. Trust me, redheads like the Lioness are always spotted more easily because of their bright hair," Elena explained while she wrapped her scarf around her head in several directions. Eva doubted that her dark brown hair would give her position away to an enemy, but it was true that her hair was quite thick and tended to fall into her face often.

"So, like this?" Eva wrapped the scarf Tillie had thrown at her around her head like Elena had shown her.

"Make it a bit tighter so that it won't fall off," Elena suggested, and helped Eva with the last of it, tucking the remaining cloth into her shirt. "There you go, that should do it. Well I need to finish making some poultices for Sraii's cuts," Elena waved goodbye and jogged back to the small fire pit outside of Tillie's tent. Eva took a deep breath, and gathered her Gift. Her exhaustion made her sloppy, and a large amount of dirt lifted into the air along with the doe. She gritted her teeth and forced herself to trudge those last few steps to where Wersa stood waiting with Zelaine.

"Eva, I want you to drop all that dirt, but keep the doe suspended in the air," Wersa ordered with a frown at the soil surrounding the deer. Eva was now trembling with the strain required to keep the doe floating. But she was too determined to give up, so with a cry of exertion, Eva let the dirt drop to the ground. The doe dropped about a foot too, but it stayed in the air. Wersa nodded.

"Good girl, now you may give me the doe," Wersa relented, holding her arms out. Eva took a gasping breath and slowly the deer traveled through the air and dropped into Wersa's awaiting arms. Eva felt her legs wobble and she fell to her knees in a moment of sudden weakness.

"Wersa this girl is spent. There's no way she'll be useful for anything else today," Zelaine stated honestly, looking down at Eva. Wersa shook her head.

"She's still got something left in her. Here, while we're waiting for Rebekkah to join us you might as well give her some water," Wersa advised, nodding towards the large wooden basin next to Rebekkah's tent that held clear river water. Zelaine nodded and took one of Eva's arms over her shoulder.

"I know that you're probably feeling pretty down right now, but for someone new you're doing very well," Zelaine complemented as the two of them hobbled towards the water basin.

"Yes I'm feeling very proud of myself right now," Eva wheezed wryly. Zelaine gently helped Eva to sit down and then took the ladle that lay beside the water basin.

"You should, on my first day I collapsed after Rebekkah made me swim upstream for hours after I had just done battle training. It didn't help that the water was freezing and I couldn't feel any of my limbs," Zelaine chuckled as she tipped a ladleful of water into Eva's mouth. Eva gulped it down greedily and then took the ladle from Zelaine and guzzled about one fifth of the huge water basin.

"That's not very wise, if you're stomach is full of water you'll get cramps after you exercise," Zelaine warned. Eva stood up feeling a little more restored and they started back towards Wersa.

"Perhaps, but I think cramps are preferable to passing out due to dehydration," Eva speculated. Zelaine laughed and kicked up a little dust on Eva's legs lightheartedly. Grinning evilly, Eva scooped up a handful of dust and hurled it at Zelaine's head. Zelaine ducked and the two of them proceeded to have a dust fight just as Rebekkah and Wersa came striding towards them.

"Zelaine and Eva if you two value your health then you'll stand at attention," Rebekkah advised as she and Wersa stopped in front of the two girls. Zelaine and Eva immediately froze and stood rigidly straight. There was something about Rebekkah and her presence that didn't require her to raise her voice to command respect. They stood that way for a few moments, not daring to move lest their leader was waiting for a sign of weakness to pounce on. Finally Rebekkah nodded.

"If you are going to waste my time, then I will waste yours. During your free time you can play around all you'd like. But when I'm about to teach you something, I expect your full attention," Rebekkah said and she met Zelaine's eyes, then Eva's with her own hard brown ones. Eva felt herself tense as she waited for Rebekkah to scold them further, but it seemed like Rebekkah decided that she didn't want to spend any more time standing around.

"Alright, get your bows ready and meet us at the target range," Wersa dismissed, sensing Rebekkah's impatience. Eva and Zelaine nodded and then hurried off towards the weapons tent. They each picked up a longbow and scurried out of camp to catch up with their teachers.

"So you're Rebekkah's fledgling? I wouldn't think that the leader of The Falcon Blades would have the time to mentor a fledgling what with all of the things she has to do…" Eva contemplated as they walked briskly a few paces behind Wersa and Rebekkah.

"Yeah, Laura told me that Rebekkah usually doesn't take on a fledgling for just that reason. It seems that she took a special interest in me… something about waiting for the right girl to come along…" Zelaine trailed off. Eva looked at Zelaine with new found interest.

"So does Rebekkah expect you to be her next Second or something?" Eva asked curiously. Zelaine merely shrugged.

"Something like that… so do you like The Falcon Blades so far?" Zelaine asked, clearly changing the subject. Eva was just about to reply when Wersa took her arm and led her away.

"Enough chit chat, do you see that scrap of wood over there?" Wersa pointed towards a roughly made wooden target in the distance. Eva nodded. "Right, then copy my stance and take your aim." Wersa demonstrated, taking a shot. Her arrow whistled through the air and almost hit the target dead center. Eva felt her jaw drop with awe.

"Go on, give it a try," Rebekkah encouraged. Eva snapped out of her reverie and took up the position Wersa showed her.

"Wait a second," Wersa corrected her stance a bit and lifted the bow a little more. "Okay, let her fly." Eva did as she was bid and…. watched her arrow sail off far left of the target.

"What'd I do wrong?" Eva demanded in dismay, lowering her bow.

"Well for starters, you can't truly take aim like this," Wersa crumpled her face, stuck out her tongue, and closed one eye in an imitation of what Eva looked like. Eva felt herself blushing. "It's fine, come on give it another go…" And that's how it went until it was too dark to see the targets anymore. Eva was grateful for the darkness, her arms felt heavy and she was having trouble lifting the bow. She was, however, proud of everything she'd learned. Apparently, Wersa was as well.

"Good shot! That one almost hit the circle just outside the bull's eye!" Wersa praised. "Alright it's getting dark, so we'll end there. I want you and Zelaine to gather some firewood, head back to camp, and then we'll have the evening meal," Wersa ordered. Eva nodded and slung her bow over her shoulder. She was just starting to wonder what they'd be eating when she heard her name being called.

"Oh and Eva!" Wersa shouted. Eva turned around slowly, hoping Wersa wouldn't give her another chore.

"Yes, Wersa?" Eva asked hesitantly. Wersa grinned.

"I hope you remember that we'll be practicing with your Gift after the evening meal," Wersa reminded her with a wicked smile. Eva groaned.

"I haven't forgotten."


	6. The Dark Mages

"Sit with us, Eva!" Allison called from by Myra's fire. Eva smiled and sat down gratefully between her and Zelaine. Being new to the Falcon Blades, Eva was still unsure of her place in the group of warrior girls. She was glad that her fellow fledglings were so friendly and accepting, it almost made her feel like she truly belonged there.

"How was your first day?" Zelaine asked between famished bites of her meal.

"Tiring, but satisfying…. I think," Eva answered truthfully. Allison nodded.

"That sounds like my first day. So…" Allison leaned forward eagerly. "Myra says that Emron has spotted a small camp of Dark Mages just outside Tramelet!"

"Yes, that's what Rebekkah said too! She's sent Jorrie and Calliet to scout them out today, and she plans on launching an attack once they get back." Zelaine verified, her dark brown eyes shining with anticipation. Eva stopped chewing when she heard that. An attack already? She had hardly been there for one day and they were already talking about real fighting!

"You'll be fine, Wersa will make sure of that," Allison said as if she knew exactly what Eva was thinking, and laid a comforting hand on Eva's shoulder.

"Gossiping, are we ladies?" Wersa asked as she and Myra sat by the fire with their supper in hand.

"We're talking about the battle tomorrow!" Zelaine piped up. Myra nodded.

"Yes, I believe Rebekkah will be leading an attack first thing tomorrow morning. Be ready before sunrise," Myra advised, looking at the three fledglings.

"Who are the Dark Mages?" Eva asked, feeling dumb. Wersa's face darkened.

"Mages who commit themselves to evil. Their leader, Kamirne, plans on overthrowing the royal family of Tortall and placing himself as king. They are very good at hiding themselves, and only The Falcon Blades know who they are and their dark purpose," Wersa whispered with hate.

"What is their 'dark purpose'?" Eva asked nervously.

"Kamirne wants to 'strengthen' Tortall by eliminating all of those who do not posses the Gift." Myra spat with disgust. "They call it 'purifying' the country, but all they would be doing is weakening Tortall. They are convinced that if you don't have the Gift, then you are a waste of space."

"That's horrible!" Eva exclaimed, shivering. She couldn't imagine something so evil. "Why don't we warn King Jonathan?"

"No one will listen to a group of rag tag outcasts like us," Wersa admitted. "It's up to us to stop the Dark Mages ourselves. And with that said," Wersa stood. "Let's practice with that Gift of yours, Eva. We'll see if you can be of some of use to us tomorrow."

Eva groaned, but rose from her seat nonetheless. Wersa briskly led her out of camp and into a small clearing by the river. Without warning, Wersa turned and forced a spout of water towards Eva using her Gift. With a yelp, Eva put her shield up and deflected the water back to Wersa. Responding effortlessly, Wersa knocked the water away and charged straight at Eva.

"Use your Gift, and your physical fighting skills combined!" Wersa ordered as she aimed a blow at Eva's stomach. Eva dodged and tried using her Gift to pelt a few rocks at Wersa. She needn't have bothered. The rocks rose, but there was no force behind them as they lightly bounced off of Wersa's legs.

"Put some strength behind it! FOCUS!" Wersa chided between kicks. It was all Eva could do to block Wersa's onslaught of well aimed attacks. But she gave it a shot and reached once more for her quickly dwindling Gift. She focused on the river and aimed a jet of water at Wersa's back. However, her intense focus distracted her from the fight, so she got nailed in the gut by one of Wersa's kicks. But the water aimed straight and true, catching Wersa from behind. Both girls fell to the ground at almost the same time. But Wersa responded quicker. Before Eva could get up, she found herself on her back.

"That was good," Wersa commended. "Just make sure next time that you're ready to get up and jump back in before I am. Again." And so it went. It was dark, and Eva couldn't even see Wersa that well, much less anticipate where her next blows were aimed. But she kept at it, and managed to discover that her strength laid in dodging the physical attacks and catching her opponent from behind with the help of her Gift. Finally, when Eva could no longer keep her eyes open, Wersa called it off.

"Okay, good practice." Easy for her to say. Eva was covered with welts and soaked in her own sweat. Apparently that was Wersa's definition of a good practice.

"Can we sleep now?" Eva begged. Wersa shook her head.

"I want you to do one more thing, first. Sit down." Wersa beckoned, sitting on the grass beside the gently gurgling river. Eva sat down gingerly, wincing from her multiple bruises.

"Clear your mind of all notion and thought. This will help you to focus, which is a skill that you seem to be lacking in that The Dark Mages will not hesitate to use against you." Wersa explained. "The Falcon Blades often meditate before going to sleep. It is a great way to clear your head before a battle, and get your head in order. Now breathe."

Eva closed her eyes and tried to keep her mind blank without falling asleep. It wasn't easy, stray thoughts kept jumping into her head and distracting her from her task at hand. Eva tried to push those thoughts away, and it seemed that she had just gotten the hang of it when she felt Wersa tapping her shoulder gently.

"That is enough for one night, my fledgling. Make me proud tomorrow, Eva. You are dismissed," Wersa waved her away. Eva rose a bit creakily, and made her way back towards camp. The darkness made it difficult to dodge thorns hidden in the undergrowth, so Eva conjured a beam of light green light to aid her. It worked well, and Eva soon found herself snuggling down into her bedroll in Wersa's tent.

"_Please, Mithros let me do well tomorrow!_" Eva thought briefly before sinking into a well deserved night's rest.


	7. First Battle

"Rise, Eva and greet the new day!" Eva felt icy water droplets unmercifully splash her sleepy eyes. With a gasp, Eva sat up abruptly to see Wersa standing over her with a malicious smile.

"Prepare yourself for a long walk; we're heading to Tramelet for an ambush!" Wersa said, tossing Eva's headscarf to her. "All you'll need is your dagger, and your focus."

"So what is my position in the battle?" Eva asked as she slipped into her clothes and tied her headscarf carefully.

"Myself, you, and Fawn are The Falcon Blades' only mages. Unfortunately every single member of the Dark Mages has the Gift. This means that for us mages it will probably be a match of seven against three," Wersa explained as she tossed some light armor at Eva to put on.

"So what is it that we're to do?" Eva asked wearily. She still had almost no experience with her Gift, and she wasn't sure if she was ready to fight against skilled enemies in a match of seven against three. Wersa heard the note of panic in Eva's voice and stopped her bustling about. She stepped up to Eva and took her hands, her wide hazel eyes softening with understanding.

"I think you'll do fine, Eva. All that you're to do if focus on the Sun with your Gift." Wersa said reassuringly. Eva shot her teacher a questioning look. "What I mean by that is the Dark Mages have amazing abilities to see in the gloom, so they try to confuse their enemies by creating a dark battle field. It'll be our job to keep it light and easy to see out there for our comrades. As you progress through your training you'll be able to fight enemies physically while you use your Gift to fight their mages. That is what I'll be doing today. Fawn will stay with you in the back and the both of you will only have to focus on keeping it light enough to see. So focus on the Sun."

"Wersa I don't think I can-" Eva began, but Wersa shook her head and let go of Eva's hands.

"Do not doubt yourself, Eva. Why give your opponents another weapon to use against you? Have some confidence, if only to throw them off." Wersa called over her shoulder as she jogged out of their tent. Eva took a deep breath to gather herself and then proceeded to follow her mentor outside.

The camp was in total chaos. Girls were running about trying to get last minute preparations done before the battle started, fledglings were biting their nails worriedly, Tillie and Elena were getting some medicines ready to treat any injuries, and Rebekkah was talking to Natalyia calmly amid all of the chaos.

"Eva, get something to eat!" Wersa ordered from across camp. Eva dutifully fixed herself a meager breakfast; she wasn't exactly feeling hungry at the moment. She sat down next to Allison and Zelaine, who were also picking at their food without much enthusiasm. Words weren't really needed between the three anxious fledglings, their fears were mutual and all they needed was each other's comforting presence. It was at that moment that things were brought into perspective for Eva. She realized that she wasn't fighting this battle to satisfy Rebekkah, Wersa, or anyone else. She was going to do this to prove something to herself. For Eva, this battle would determine if she made the right decision to abandon her life in Gather's Bridge. With that in mind, Eva glanced up to look at Zelaine's mentor.

Rebekkah seemed totally in control of her emotions. Girls kept rushing up to say something to her, but none of it seemed to faze her at all. She seemed be able to keep everything organized and well managed almost without thinking. Eva felt proud to call Rebekkah her leader, it made her feel like she was part of something bigger than just her, which made the thought of charging into battle a little easier.

At last, a familiar shriek pierced the air. All of the busy hastening about the camp seemed to halt for a brief moment, as every girl gazed up at the bright dawn sky. Emron was circling above, waiting for Rebekkah to raise her arm to give him a perch. Rebekkah strode to the center of the camp and took up her proper stance with her feet spread and her arm held up high. Emron swooped down and effortlessly landed on his master's awaiting arm.

There was a tense moment while Rebekkah exchanged a whispered conversation with her loyal falcon. At last Rebekkah nodded and marched to a large boulder beside her tent, which she leapt upon without a second's hesitation.

"Falcon Blades, the time is now! The Dark Mages are unprepared and vulnerable! Let us strike without mercy, before they can seize control of Tramelet!" Rebekkah shouted fiercely. The entire camp went nuts, the energy was infectious, and Eva soon found herself on her feet, lifting her dagger in the air along with her comrades.

"We shall show them with this fight that we are more than just a rag tag group of outcasts! We are warriors worthy of their respect!" Rebekkah cried, fire in her sharp brown eyes. With that, Rebekkah hurdled off the large rock and Emron took flight once more.

"Falcon Blades move out!" Rebekkah bellowed. And with that, Natalyia signaled the groups of fighters to go one by one, with Rebekkah in the lead. Eva knew what to do, she just had to follow Fawn and listen to what Wersa told her. They all sprinted as one through the dense forest, flying with a speed that Eva wasn't sure that she could keep up all the way to Tramelet. Luckily, the pale light that shone through the trees was enough that Eva didn't have to worry about stumbling, all she did was keep her eyes trained on Fawn's back.

Eva tried to clear her mind and focus only on the sounds of nature that surrounded her, but her thoughts kept drifting to what lay ahead for her. Before all else, she wanted them to win the battle. From what she'd heard so far about the Dark Mages, they sounded like a powerful force against her beloved country that needed to be stopped. For the first time, Eva felt her blood truly boil. She wanted to fight, and she would not be denied.

At last, the separate groups broke apart, and Eva followed Fawn to a cluster of reeds just outside Tramelet.

"Come here, Eva. See what we're up against," Fawn beckoned softly. Eva slid silently through the reeds, coming to a stop beside Fawn. She took her first look at their enemies, and almost fainted.

What really shocked Eva were their numbers. The camp looked to be holding fifteen tents that could each easily hold three people. It was very early, and things looked to be quiet, but Eva saw a few solitary people pacing about in dark cloaks that hid their faces.

"Rebekkah will lead the attack down there," Fawn gestured to a weak spot in the Dark Mages defenses, where there seemed to be almost no patrols. "We are to stay up here and go against their mages to keep it light and easy to see for our fighters. Just focus on the Sun and you will be alright."

"Where is Wersa?" Eva asked nervously, looking at the shadows that Fawn had pointed out.

"She will use her Gift to help us and she will fight as an archer. I don't have the experience yet to do both like she can, and someone needs to stay here with you." Fawn whispered. "Now remain silent, when the battle starts, our job will become clearer to you."

Eva crouched down a little lower. If what Wersa said was true, then the Dark Mages might be able to see her despite the shadows covering them. Fawn seemed tranquil enough, Eva wondered how many battles she had seen, but didn't ask for fear of being scolded for speaking. All that was left to do was wait.

Eva peeked through the reeds at the Sun. Could the Dark Mages really create darkness so terrible that it would block the sunlight? The thought frightened Eva, and she bit her lip to keep it from trembling.

A ferocious battle cry ripped through the air, and Eva couldn't see the charge, but she heard the trampling feet and almost felt the earth beneath her quiver as the first group threw themselves into the center of the Dark Mages' camp. She desperately wanted to get up to join her comrades, but resisted the urge.

Fawn gripped Eva's arm firmly, and Eva felt a surge of Fawn's power flow through her. It pulled her into her focus, and she reached for her Gift to slip from the physical world into the world of magic. She didn't like what she found.

It was like the weight of a mountain was upon her back, Eva couldn't see it, but she could _feel _the world around her get darker. She could also sense Fawn and Wersa fighting against it, desperately trying to push against the weight that Eva knew they felt too.

Surprisingly, Eva didn't panic. She remembered Wersa's advice, and focused on the Sun. Its warmth and energy gave her the inspiration she needed to fight back. She put all of her strength and being into fighting the weight upon her, and she could feel the world around her lighten slightly. Her push set Wersa and Fawn into motion, and as one person they combined their energies into forcing the enemy mages down.

With sudden force, Eva felt a new presence. A new mage had joined the fight, and was targeting only her! The pressure on her spirit was enough to force her physical body to fall flat on her face. The Sun seemed to disappear from Eva's mind entirely, and she found herself swirling amid darkness and confusion.

"_Nooo!_"Eva heard Wersa's spirit call to her. "_The Sun, Eva! Don't give up!_" Eva's Gift was draining out of her rapidly, and that did it. Eva panicked. She truly lost it, and instead of focusing, she thrashed desperately against the force upon her. If anything that only made the other mage stronger, and Eva now felt the true agony of life threatening pain surround her. Eva knew she had lost, and she felt there was only one option left.

"_I'm sorry, Wersa_." Eva apologized, and then poured all of her remaining Gift into Fawn through Fawn's grip on her arm. Doing this was no easy task, and once Eva poured all of her power into Fawn, the other mage had no trouble beating her. The last thing Eva remembered feeling was that she had failed.


	8. Decision

Pain. So many words can be used to portray such simple sensations. Physical pain can be described as throbbing, stabbing, piercing, and much more. Mental and emotional pain can be just as terrible and take just as much toll on the body as physical injuries can. At the moment, Eva was dealing with every kind of pain imaginable.

Her eyes fluttered open to see Tillie gently rubbing a poultice of some sort on a deep gash running across her leg. Eva gasped sharply due to the intense stinging the medicine caused. She winced, even sharp breathing hurt. Eva let out a distressed groan.

"Eva!" Wersa was suddenly by her side, grasping Eva's hand in both of her heavily callused ones. "Gods bless, you are awake!" Wersa exclaimed thankfully.

"Water," Eva croaked pitifully. Instantly Elena was at her side with a ladleful of cool, sweet water. Eva sipped delicately, knowing her stomach was probably just as weak as the rest of her body.

"What of the battle? Was there enough light?" Eva murmured through her gritted teeth.

"There was enough light… for most of the time. It got dark for a moment, but we brought the light back using your Gift. Rebekkah is very proud of us; we put a serious dent in the Dark Mages' numbers. We've also found some valuable information pertaining to their next move. We're riding out tomorrow bound for Queen's Hill, following the Dark Mages and their next attempts."

"Wersa, I don't know if I'll be ready to ride out by tomorrow," Eva said uncertainly. She felt her teacher's hands stiffen and pull away suddenly from her own.

"That's because you won't be coming with us. I'm sorry Eva, but The Falcon Blades don't require your services any longer." Wersa whispered firmly. Eva felt new tears run down her worn face, and they weren't caused by her pains.

"What do you mean, what have I done wrong?" Eva whimpered looking up at Wersa, feeling pitifully weak.

"You gave up. There's no other way of putting it, Eva. When the time came to sink or swim, you cast all of your last hopes onto Fawn. That was the wrong move. You never stop fighting, never do you hear me?" Wersa was yelling now, on her feet, looking down at Eva like she was a clump of dirt on the bottom of her boots. "The Falcon Blades don't give up, and we don't need any quitters riding with us."

Eva couldn't control herself, she began sobbing. Her personal failure and her mentor's disappointment in her were ruthlessly breaking her heart. Just when she thought she had her life all figured out, she went ahead and blew it. All of her hopes and aspirations were crushed with Wersa's cold truths. The worst part of all was that she knew that she could do better. But apparently a second chance wasn't an option.

"And to think that I actually believed in you." Wersa shook her head and left Eva confused and all alone.

For the longest time Eva wept. She cried until the tears would no longer come, but her body still shook and trembled like she was still sobbing. It was the worst thing that she could ever remember happening to her. Her new life and new chance at becoming a warrior was cruelly ripped away before she even got the chance to prove herself. She knew she could do better. No, she _would _do better.

Without warning, Eva slowly began to rise and get out of bed. It hurt her so badly to move that she actually cried out in pain. Tillie rushed over to help steady her as she wobbled, dangerously close to falling.

"What do you think you are doing? Goddess knows you must be in pain!" Tillie exclaimed. Eva shook the smaller girl off, and gritted her teeth.

"I must talk to Wersa." Eva said resolutely. Something in her voice must have alarmed Tillie, for she backed off without another word. Eva slowly made her way out of Tillie's tent, and into the camp of her beloved Falcon Blades.

She soon caught sight of Wersa, talking in hushed tones to Rebekkah and Kathryn nearby. For a moment her despair was forgotten, and she was taken over by a new emotion: determination.

"Wersa!" Eva barked. The whole camp seemed to pause to look at the bold young fledgling. Eva limped closer to her former mentor, refusing the help of many of her former comrades.

"My whole life, I've dreamt of being a warrior. I knew from the start that I was born for the ways of a knight, and I must have been blessed by the Gods when you found me on that road. I feel like I belong here, and I know that this is my place. This is the way it was meant to be," Eva paused, drawing in a deep breath before continuing. "I won't let you get rid of me before I've gotten the chance to prove myself! Give me another chance, and I will not let you down."

Every girl in the camp looked to Rebekkah. The leader of The Falcon Blades was staring at Eva, sizing her up carefully.

"Are you sure that this is the life you want to lead?" Rebekkah asked, her gaze not wavering from Eva.

Eva paused. Was she entirely sure? That was a tough question. She knew that she still had other options available to her, but now that she had gotten a taste as to what being a Falcon Blade was like she never wanted to do anything else.

"Yes." Eva answered certainly. Rebekkah looked intently at her for a moment more, and then gave the slightest nod.

"You have to prove yourself worthy to earn a place in The Falcon Blades, and so far we haven't seen anything from you, Eva. I will give you one last chance, so you'd better not let me down," Rebekkah cautioned. Eva nodded determinedly. With that, the camp came back to life. The girls returned to their chores and gossiped excitedly about what had just taken place. Eva saw Allison and Zelaine nearby, smiling their encouragement at her. Eva tried to return their smiles, but just ended up wincing from the pain it caused her to move the muscles in her face.

"We're riding out to Tramelet tomorrow, following the Dark Mages. It'll be a hard journey for you, but I am confident that you can make it," Wersa said as she helped Eva hobble back into Tillie's tent. "Now rest, and let Tillie fix you up a bit. I'm sure that you must be in pain."

"Wersa, do you think that I made the right decision? Do you think… do you think that I belong here?" Eva asked tentatively.

"Only one person can answer that question, Eva. And it isn't me," Wersa replied mysteriously. Eva sighed as she settled into the bed and closed her eyes. She pondered every aspect of her choice, and thought over everything Rebekkah had said to her. Thinking about all that had happened to her, she wondered what she had just gotten herself into.


	9. A Chance to Prove Herself

"Thank you, Eva

"Thank you, Eva." Sraii said gratefully. Eva nodded, not meeting Sraii's eyes. Eva was currently serving the evening meal at The Falcon Blades new camp just outside of Queen's Hill. The long journey from the forest outside Tramelet had been especially difficult for her, but Eva had been determined to make the trip without complaint. Unfortunately, it didn't do anything to speed up her healing process. In result, Wersa had assigned Eva small, almost insignificant tasks around camp until she grew strong enough to resume training.

Eva set down the pot of stew she had been holding, and made her way to the fire outside Rebekkah's tent, where Wersa sat conversing with Nataylia. It had been two weeks since they had arrived at Queen's Hill, and Eva was going to try and tell Wersa that she felt ready to recommence her lessons. Her injuries had been driving her stir crazy, and Eva was dying to get out of camp and _do _something. She still had no idea how she could prove herself worthy as a Falcon Blade to Rebekkah, but she knew that sitting around serving meals and tending the fires around camp wasn't going to cut it.

"Wersa?" Eva asked timidly. Her mentor looked up, and for the first time, Eva realized something. The trust that Wersa used to have in her, the comforting feeling of solid belief in her skills, was gone. When Wersa used to look at Eva with something comparable to love, she now looked at Eva as if she were some sort of stranger. Eva swore to herself that she would change that.

"Yes, fledgling?" Wersa asked almost uncaringly. Eva winced when Wersa called her "fledgling" rather than "Eva". She felt her heart ache for Wersa's old trust, but she pushed those feelings down and took a breath.

"I'm ready to continue my training." Eva said, trying to sound more certain than she felt. She felt Natalyia's eyes boring into her, but Eva didn't take her eyes off of Wersa. She could see her mentor mulling over her proposal, and she could feel Wersa silently judging her. Eva sent a silent prayer to the Gods that Wersa confirm her hopes.

"Fair enough. Go sleep now, we're going to do some battle training at first light tomorrow." Wersa waved Eva away. Eva dipped her head to the two older members of The Falcon Blades and left for Wersa's tent. She was just settling down to get some rest when Allison and Zelaine burst into the tent.

"What do you think you're doing?" Zelaine demanded, pulling Eva to her feet.

"Huh, I'm sorry… what?" Eva asked groggily.

"When Rebekkah gives you another chance at being a Falcon Blade, you do _not _grovel at your mentor's feet!" Allison shouted, her light blue eyes narrowed in fury. "You're supposed to get out there, and show everyone that you have more skill than all of them combined!"

"I just did ask Wersa, and she said that my training continues tomorrow, at first light!" Eva said defensively.

"Yeah, we saw you crawling towards her with your tail between your legs and desperation dripping from your voice," Zelaine snorted. Eva blushed and smacked her friend playfully on her well muscled arm.

"I don't want to come across as too overconfident." Eva explained.

"But that's exactly what they are looking for!" Allison cried. "Show them that you are convinced that you are the best fledgling that ever rode among The Falcon Blades!"

"Let me do this my way, I've got it all figured out, don't worry." Eva lied convincingly. "Now get out of my tent and for the Gods sake let me get some rest!" Allison and Zelaine looked at her questioningly.

"I'm fine, really, I promise." Eva declared, her eyes challenging them to disagree. Finally Allison sighed, tapped Zelaine on the shoulder and the two of them left grudgingly. Eva once again settled down to sleep, hoping that her lie to her friends would prove true.

Eva was dreaming of darkness and hooded strangers when she felt a sharp pain between two of her ribs. She gasped and sat up abruptly to see Wersa standing above her, kicking her side to wake her up.

"Meet me in the clearing. Don't dawdle." Wersa warned, and with that she left the tent. Eva rubbed her side in disbelief. Wersa had actually kicked her, it was unbelievable. Instead of feeling discouraged, Eva felt even more motivation to prove herself to her mentor again. She quickly rose and scurried out to meet Wersa in the battle training clearing.

As soon as Eva had stepped into the clearing, she felt the butt of a dagger rap her sharply on the back between her shoulders. She spun around and drew her own dagger to see Wersa standing behind her, her hazel eyes cold.

"Let's have a practice fight, shall we?" Wersa asked, sounding innocent. And with that, Wersa went into a flurry of well aimed attacks and jabs with her dagger. Eva franticly flung her own blade up again and again to stop Wersa's relentless assaults.

"Blocking me repeatedly won't win you your battle, throw something back at me!" Wersa advised as she tried to dig her weapon into Eva's side. Eva dodged the attack, and without thinking, cuffed Wersa's wrist sharply. Wersa's dagger fell uselessly to the ground and Eva, panting heavily, stood above her defeated mentor.

"I win." Eva whispered triumphantly. For the first time in days, Wersa actually cracked a small smile.

"Now you're thinking like a warrior. Come on, let's go again. Remember, don't make the first move. Anticipate my attacks so that you can counter and catch me unexpectedly. Now start." Wersa ordered, and they flew into another round of blade training. By the time Wersa finally called it quits, the sun was high in the sky, and the afternoon scouts were trickling back into camp.

"Fetch yourself something to eat, and then meet me by the pond." Wersa ordered, sheathing her dagger. Eva's spirits rose. Not only had she gotten a compliment from Wersa, but she was now being permitted to leave camp! Bouncing happily, Eva wolfed down a quick meal, and then hastened to exit the camp.

Eva drew a deep breath of the forest air. It was good to be among the woods again, and Eva felt a hint of promise in the air as she ran towards the pond.

"Hello, Wersa. Are we going hunting or-" Eva was cut off by a sudden frenzied rustling in the bushes from across the pond. Wersa frowned and beckoned for Eva to follow her into the shelter of the trees. Both girls backed away from the pond slowly until they were hidden from view of whatever had made the noise.

"Shh... wait until we can see what's going on before you move." Wersa commanded quietly. Eva nodded and slowly began to calm her breathing, which also helped her to focus in case she needed to call upon her Gift. They could distinctly hear the furious rustling from across the pond, but neither of them could get a clear view as to what was making the clamor. Finally, they could see a young girl sprinting through the trees, obviously running from some unknown danger. That danger became clear when they saw a man in a dark cloak running after her, aiming rocks at her using his Gift. Eva gasped in horror, and turned to Wersa for orders.

"I'll take the girl, you stop the man!" Wersa yelled, leaping out from their hiding place. "Kill him if you must, he's obviously one of Them!" Wersa cried to Eva from over her shoulder. Eva tore after her mentor, and just kept going after she saw Wersa grab the now panic-stricken girl. Barreling towards the Dark Mage at full speed, Eva drew her dagger and let out a fearsome battle cry. The man blocked her unexpected attack at the last second, and forced her back a few steps with pure strength.

Eva knew that she couldn't win against this man with her fighting skills alone, so using her gift; she aimed a stream of water from the pond at the man's back. Unfortunately, the man seemed to have been anticipating this move. He expertly dodged her water, and Eva took the full blast of her own stream of water! Spluttering desperately, she ducked as the man aimed a heavy stone at her head. She was just about to try and maneuver another attack with her Gift, when suddenly she seemed to have been blinded.

Eva couldn't see, and was blundering around helplessly when she remembered her focus point, the Sun. She screeched as she felt a blade slash her shoulder mercilessly, but she didn't forget the Sun, and with all of her might she focused on bringing the light back into the battle. Suddenly, a flash of bright light lit up the man who was bracing himself for the killing blow. With a yelp of alarm, Eva rolled out of the way, and stabbed the man in the back with her dagger. The Dark Mage gasped, and fell forward to the ground. His life blood was pouring out of him, and finally he shuddered for a final time and died.

Still Eva kept her dagger in his back, making sure that her opponent truly was dead. She recoiled when she felt a hand rest upon her shoulder. It was Wersa's, her other hand on the poor girl's back.

"Come, Eva. Help me take this girl to camp." Wersa gently pried Eva away from the dead man, and helped her to her feet. Together, the three girls slowly trudged back to camp, the girl drenched in sweat, Eva drenched in blood. When they arrived, all activity seemed to stop, and Rebekkah came dashing towards them.

"Wersa, what's happened here?" Rebekkah asked, taken aback. Wersa looked up at her leader, her hazel eyes full of worry.

"Rebekkah, I think we all need to talk about what's happened, but here is not the place." Wersa answered in a low tone. Rebekkah nodded.

"Right, then follow me into my tent. It seems that there's a lot that needs to be explained."


	10. New Member

"So then I shouted at Eva to kill the Dark Mage. And she did as I told her, quite well I might add," Wersa was telling Rebekkah. Eva and the girl who had been running from the Dark Mage were sitting quietly in the corner of Rebekkah's tent while Wersa told her leader what had taken place only minutes before. Eva really wanted to listen to their conversation, but she felt obligated to talk to the poor girl that she had saved. After all, she'd find out soon enough whether her actions had impressed Rebekkah.

"What is your name?" Eva asked the girl politely. The girl didn't look up from the ground, and Eva wondered why she wouldn't meet her eyes.

"I am Dieke of Omilder." Dieke whispered almost fearfully. Eva noticed what appeared to be dark bruises running up the girl's arms. Eva shook her head angrily; she always hated to see young girls that were victims of abuse.

"I am Eva of Gather's Bridge, I think we used to live close to each other," Eva stated meekly, trying to make conversation.

"I have not been to Omilder in some time now…" Dieke trailed off quietly.

"Why were-" Eva started to ask.

"Eva of Gather's Bridge, please rise." Rebekkah commanded from across the tent. Eva jumped to her feet eagerly, this was it! She would discover her true calling right here, in a few moments! Eva fought to keep herself from trembling with nerves as her leader walked up to her.

"You have done well, Eva. After such a short time with The Falcon Blades you have already participated as a mage in a battle and you have killed a Dark Mage. I am offering you a position as Wersa's fledgling in The Falcon Blades. Do you accept?" Rebekkah asked officially.

"Yes, Rebekkah." Eva answered fervently. She had spent many a restless night asking herself time and time again if this was what she really wanted to do. Wersa had been right. The only person that could answer whether she made the right decision to be a Falcon Blade was herself. Only time could tell if her choice would be proven correct.

"Excellent, now if you would follow me outside?" Rebekkah gestured to the boulder the she used to stand on when she called out to her Falcon Blades. Eva nodded, and without a second thought followed her leader outside.

Rebekkah jumped onto the great rock, and helped Eva onto it as well. From atop the boulder, Eva could see that most of the camp seemed to be chatting in small groups. It figured, Eva thought. It's not everyday that a fledgling comes back from the pond soaked in blood.

"Falcon Blades, please gather!" Rebekkah called. Eva admired the majestic stance of her leader, and the way that Rebekkah's sharp brown eyes gleamed with confidence. It struck Eva that she wanted to be just like Rebekkah, and that she almost wished that Rebekkah was her mentor rather than Wersa. She quickly banished the thought from her head; there was nothing she could do about it anyway.

"Today, Eva of Gather's Bridge saved a young girl from a Dark Mage chasing her through the forest. She used the skills that Wersa taught her to kill her opponent, and therefore proved her worth as a Falcon Blade. Do you agree?" Rebekkah asked the cluster of warriors before her. Every girl in the camp went mad cheering, and Eva chuckled as she saw Allison and Zelaine going nuts in the corner by Myra's tent.

"Eva," Rebekkah turned to face her, and her face clearly showed how proud she was. "You are officially the newest member of The Falcon Blades."

At this point all was silent, and Eva somehow knew that now was the time for her to bow deeply to her leader. She felt Rebekkah's hand on her back, and now everyone started applauding joyfully. It was one of the best moments of Eva's life.

"Congratulations, you made it," Rebekkah whispered as Eva stood up. Eva dipped her head respectfully and slid off the boulder to meet her friends.

"This is wonderful, Eva! You should be really proud of yourself!" Allison squeaked giddily. Zelaine said nothing; she merely smiled at her friend happily. Eva felt someone tug at her arm, and looked up to see Wersa pulling her away.

"Wersa-" Eva protested.

"Not a word, Eva. You need to have that cut on your shoulder taken care of." Wersa said, firmly leading her to Tillie's tent. Normally Eva would have argued further, but at the moment she was just appreciative that Wersa was there to take care of her. It also helped that her shoulder _did_ hurt!

"Ah, if it isn't the new member of The Falcon Blades!" Tillie squeaked. Elena rushed forward to congratulate her new comrade.

"Tillie if you could mend Eva's shoulder please?" Wersa asked the Healer politely. The tiny brunette nodded and briskly began to gather some herbs with her fledgling trailing behind her like a gangly shadow.

"Wersa the girl, Dieke, she's been abused! I saw the welts…" Eva mumbled, blinking away tears as Elena dabbed a poultice on her shoulder.

"She was probably born into the Dark Mages, and doesn't have the Gift, so she was treated like dirt." Wersa presumed, bitterly kicking the ground. "We have to stop them, Eva. That's why we're here. Not for fame or glory, but to protect Tortall from monsters like the Dark Mages." Wersa looked up, meeting Eva's dark brown eyes with her own hazel ones. "I trust you, Eva. Don't let me down again. This is bigger than you and me. If you make a mistake, it affects not only you, but countless others who are counting on you. There's great potential in you, don't take it for granted." Wersa warned. And with that, Wersa exited the Healer's tent. Eva just stared after her mentor. That's when things became real for Eva. It was then that Eva realized that the important thing that occurred today was not that she became a member of The Falcon Blades, but that she had saved a poor girl from a terrible fate.

A sudden screech pierced the air, causing Eva to jump startled. Emron swooped gracefully into the Healer's tent, and landed on the edge of a bed next to where Eva was sitting. Eva hesitated, and then stroked the large bird's beak as she had seen Rebekkah do.

"I don't know, Emron. Sometimes things just seem too big for a ragtag group of mavericks like us to handle." Eva confided, gently ruffling Emron's feathers.

"Don't worry, together anything can be accomplished. So long as you believe it can be done." Emron reassured. Eva nodded, and then gasped. She leapt up from her seat, stared at the falcon who had just spoken to her, and passed out.


	11. A Sign From the Gods

"Gods, what is it now? For Mithros' sake every time I turn around she's found some new way to get a place in your tent, Tillie." Wersa ranted, pacing back and forth in front of the petite Healer.

"Oh stuff it, Wersa. The girl reminds me of a certain fledgling who I seem to remember seeing in my tent quite often as well." Tillie peeped shrilly. Wersa grinned sheepishly.

"Are you sure, Elena? You really heard her talking to Emron?" Wersa asked the Healer's fledgling, changing the subject. The lanky girl bobbed her head, knocking her headscarf astray.

"She was speaking to the bird! And then he shrieked and she nodded, like she understood him! That's when she passed out, out of shock I think." Elena presumed as she adjusted her headscarf. Suddenly a soft moaning could be heard from the corner of the tent. Wersa immediately rushed to her fledgling's side, closely followed by Tillie and Elena.

"Eva, can you hear me?" Wersa asked anxiously. Eva nodded, not opening her eyes. Suddenly her dark brown eyes snapped open, and Eva started breathing harder.

"Wersa, I _heard_ him! Emron spoke, and I understood what he said!" Eva panted, her eyes darting back and forth. Wersa calmly laid a hand over Eva's mouth in an attempt to soothe her frightened pupil.

"Settle down, Eva. Rebekkah will be here any moment to speak to you about what has happened. Don't panic, this is nothing to worry about." Wersa reassured, not taking her hand from Eva's mouth. Eva inhaled deeply through her nose and nodded slowly.

"Eat these poppy seeds; they'll calm your nerves." Tillie trilled, gently removing Wersa's hand from Eva's mouth. Eva obediently ate the seeds, and tried to recall any other time in her life that she had heard a falcon speak. Nothing came to mind, and Eva was sure that she'd never heard any other animals talk to her before either.

"How is she?" Rebekkah asked, as she entered the Healer's tent. The atmosphere of the tent instantly changed from one of confusion and uncertainty to calm and composed the moment Rebekkah stepped inside. Eva visibly relaxed, her leader was here. It'd be okay now, the one other person she knew who could talk to birds had arrived to help her.

"I'm all right, Rebekkah." Eva answered a little shakily. Wersa beamed and put a hand on Eva's shoulder proudly. Rebekkah nodded briskly.

"Right, I'd appreciate it if you lot could give Eva and I a moment alone." Rebekkah requested, her sharp brown eyes trained on Wersa. Eva's mentor opened her mouth to protest, thought better of it, and tramped out of the tent dejectedly. Tillie and her fledgling followed hot on Wersa's heels. Once everyone had left, Rebekkah sat down on the edge of Eva's bed and turned her sharp gaze to Eva.

"Have you been able to converse with any creatures before this?" Rebekkah asked. Eva shook her head. "Nothing, no murmurings or anything that sounded like speech?" Rebekkah pressed.

"No, this was the first time something like this has happened to me." Eva admitted. Rebekkah leaned back thoughtfully.

"Well… I think the Gods have given you another Gift. This interests me, what reason do they have for picking you?" Rebekkah mused as she looked at Eva carefully. Eva felt her jaw drop. The Gods had chosen to give her another Gift? She already had one Gift, wasn't that enough?

"Rebekkah, that can't be it. There's no reason for the Gods to take an interest in me…" Eva muttered, twisting her hands together restlessly.

"Don't underestimate yourself, Eva. You have remarkable talent for someone so young and new to the ways of a warrior. In fact, you already have enough ability for me to consider you for-" Rebekkah stopped suddenly, something new sparking in her brown eyes.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Eva asked, looking at her leader questioningly. Rebekkah shook her head abruptly.

"Sorry, Eva, it's just that I've suddenly realized something… I'll have to talk it over with Wersa first." Rebekkah explained, standing up.

"Wait, how's Dieke doing?" Eva asked, feeling concerned for the poor girl she had spoken to earlier.

"I had Laura and Jorrie escort Dieke to Queen's Hill. She'll be safe there; she can find some honest work where she won't be mistreated." Rebekkah said, her face darkening in anger.

"Why can't she stay with us?" Eva begged, unsure why she had such an interest in the girl. Rebekkah shook her head.

"The Dark Mages have killed her spirit, Eva. It's too late for Dieke to become a warrior, she's been broken emotionally. There's only so much we can do for a girl like her." Rebekkah whispered sadly. Eva slumped down further into her bed. She wasn't sure why, but she felt like it was important that she speak to Dieke once more. Before she could ask Rebekkah anything else, her leader was gone. Eva sighed and tried to get some rest, perhaps some sleep would clear her troubled mind.

While Eva slept in the Healer's tent, Rebekkah cupped her hands over her mouth and cried like a bird. Within moments her faithful bird had landed on her outstretched arm.

"Have you seen him, Emron?" Rebekkah asked tensely.

"No, I've seen no sign of Kamirne; I think he's left their camp at Queen's Hill. I'm not sure if I can, but I'll try to find his exact whereabouts if you'd like me to." Emron offered. Rebekkah shook her head.

"No thank you Emron, that won't be necessary. You should rest now, and when you've recovered just scope out their camp at Queen's Hill. We need to know when they're getting ready to make their move." Rebekkah commanded. Emron extended his dark brown wings and soared away above the canopy of leaves. Rebekkah strode towards Wersa and Natalyia.

"Do you remember my old plan to send Kathryn as a spy into the Dark Mages camp?" Rebekkah asked. This clearly surprised her Second.

"Yes, but didn't you say it was too dangerous? We don't want to risk losing a Falcon Blade just for some information." Natalyia reminded them. Wersa nodded, worried about what Rebekkah had in mind.

"But I think Eva's sudden ability to speak to Emron is the Gods' way of telling me to send her as a spy. Think about it, if we send her with Dieke as an offering, they'll embrace her with open arms!" Rebekkah insisted.

"No, we can't send Dieke back there. And Eva isn't ready, she's only just began her training as a fledgling!" Wersa argued.

"Once Eva's in she can smuggle Dieke out once more. And if she gets into trouble, she can tell Emron, who'll tell me, and we can save her before things get out of hand. Wersa, we need to know what Kamirne's next plans are!" Rebekkah exclaimed.

"And you're willing to risk my fledgling's life for that?!" Wersa snapped, and with that, Wersa stomped off into the Healer's tent angrily.

"Give her time, Rebekkah. She'll warm up to the idea." Natalyia encouraged.

"In the mean time, I want you to get Dieke back here, we need her. While you're at it, tell Amilyn to go into Queen's Hill and buy Eva some different clothes. We can't have her stroll in the Dark Mage's camp looking like a Falcon Blade, can we? Tell Amilyn to use the coins that Bethany's been holding on to." Rebekkah ordered calmly. Natalyia nodded and set off to do as her leader bid her. Rebekkah set off to her tent and knelt before her bedroll. She began to pray that she had interpreted Eva's new Gift correctly. For if she hadn't, she'd be sending Wersa's promising fledgling to her death in the form of Dark Mages.


	12. Resignation

There she was. Sleeping soundly, blissfully unaware of what her own leader was planning to make her do. Wersa tiptoed to Eva's bedside, carefully pulling the blanket a little higher over her fledgling. She sighed quietly, and gazed at Eva's face thoughtfully. Perhaps Rebekkah was right. Maybe this was the Gods' way of telling them that Eva was capable of being a spy for The Falcon Blades…

No. That couldn't be true. Eva was only a fledgling; she wasn't ready for such a huge mission! Besides, who knows what could happen to her? She could easily be killed if they discovered that she was an imposter. And if Eva died, then Wersa's plan would be ruined.

As close as Wersa was to Rebekkah, she had kept one secret from her leader. Wersa was there when Rebekkah had told her and Natalyia that she thought Zelaine would be the next leader of The Falcon Blades. But after mentoring Eva for just a few brief days, Wersa already knew deep down that it wasn't Zelaine, but Eva who would one day lead The Falcon Blades. At least, that's what she thought. Eva being able to speak to Emron further proved Wersa's suspicions that Rebekkah had made a mistake. But as sure as Wersa was that Rebekkah had made a mistake, she was just as sure that she would never be able to tell Rebekkah of it. It wasn't that she was scared or frightened, but she was worried that Rebekkah would be too stubborn to believe her.

So Wersa had decided to wait, and let Eva prove herself worthy as leader. Someday she would be strong enough to challenge for leadership, and Wersa would never have to say a word to Rebekkah about it. So Wersa had begun training Eva not only as a warrior, but hopefully to also give her the skills needed one day to be a leader. It was the perfect plan. But now it would be ruined if Eva was discovered among the Dark Mages as a spy.

"Wersa?" Eva mumbled, sleepy eyed.

"Yes, it's me, Eva." Wersa confirmed, leaning closer to be able to hear Eva more clearly.

"I want to speak to Rebekkah." Eva said, her voice suddenly certain and strong. Wersa's face fell.

"Eva, before you do, I want to tell you something. This is very important, pay attention!" Wersa snapped as she saw Eva's eyes wander. Wersa made sure that Eva was listening carefully before continuing.

"How dedicated are you to The Falcon Blades? What are you willing to sacrifice, to put in danger?" Wersa inquired, looking deep into Eva's dark brown eyes. Eva stared right on back.

"Anything." Eva swore.

"Don't say that too quickly, that's a lot more than you realize. Would you… be willing to… risk your own life?" Wersa asked hesitantly, afraid of Eva's answer. For what seemed to be the first time that day, Wersa saw a flicker of fear shadow over Eva's face.

"Of course… why do you ask?" Eva asked, just as hesitant as her teacher. Wersa sighed heavily and leaned back. Who was she to hold back Eva if she really wanted to be a spy for The Falcon Blades? It was her life, her decision, right? It was completely up to Eva what call she would make. Wersa was all about independence and freedom, and her fledgling was no exception.

"Rebekkah has a mission for you."

**Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo **

"Dieke?" Eva called tentatively. She was out of the Healer's tent (finally) and she wanted to speak to Dieke while Wersa and Rebekkah further discussed Eva's new mission. Eva felt excited and eager to be a spy, the mere thought of it made her stand a little straighter and taller. Spying on enemies was _important _and it made Eva feel more useful than she'd ever felt before. She was glad to do it, but she was also a little worried too. What if she failed, or worse, was discovered and killed before she could tell The Falcon Blades anything useful? She tried to push those fretful thoughts out of her head as she took a step closer to Dieke.

"Y-y-yes?" Dieke stammered nervously. Eva's heart went out to the girl, she was about to ask her to go back to the life that she had just escaped from. That Eva had just helped her to escape from. But she had her orders, and Eva was determined to follow them through.

"Have you spoken to Rebekkah?" Eva inquired warily. Dieke nodded slowly, looking into Eva's dark eyes pleadingly.

"Must I really return?" Dieke asked, twisting her hands in her lap anxiously.

"I'm very sorry, but I believe you do. The plan is for me to 'bring you back as a tribute to the Dark Mages'. The second that the Dark Mages accept me as one of their own, I promise that I will smuggle you out. You have my word as a Falcon Blade." Eva promised. "And as a friend," Eva added for good measure.

"You don't understand. I know that you mean well, but my father wouldn't let me out of his sight if I came back!" Dieke wailed, her voice trembling with fear.

"I'll find a way, I know I will." Eva vowed, trying to sound more confident than she felt. Dieke examined Eva carefully.

"You're very pretty; you do know that they'll try to take advantage of you, right?" Dieke whispered. Eva paled, she hadn't thought of that before. Dieke noticed this and tried to push further. "You don't have to do this, just tell your leader that you're sorry, but it's too much for her to ask of you. She'll understand."

"No, I can't do that. I know what I'm facing, and I am prepared to face it… willingly." Eva claimed shakily. Dieke frowned.

"I will go back… but I have one condition." Dieke sighed. Eva looked up, why had Dieke changed her mind so suddenly? Oh well, at least she was cooperating now.

"What is it?" Eva asked, looking at the younger girl suspiciously. She would give anything that she could, but the girl wanted money or something outrageous than Eva would have to put her foot down.

"My little brother is still held captive among the Dark Mages. If, no, _when _you smuggle me out; I want you to smuggle him out too." Dieke insisted, her light green eyes lighting up for the first time since Eva had met her.

"Of course I will." Eva answered, relieved. That was not out of her way, she could easily save the poor girl's brother too in exchange for Dieke's cooperation. "What is his name?"

"Ahmad, but there's one problem…" Dieke trailed off, looking at the floor.

"Come on, you can tell me! Is Ahmad sick or something?" Eva asked.

"No, but he has the Gift, and the Dark Mages have treated him very well since he was very young. Unfortunately, in his eyes, the Dark Mages are on the side of good. It might be hard to get him out, because he doesn't want to leave."

**Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo **

Eva looked at her reflection in the pool of sparkling, crystal clear water. She gasped sharply; the girl staring back at her looked… what was the word… rough? Dangerous? Whatever it was, she looked like a force to be reckoned with. The disguise that Rebekkah had fitted her in was perfect. She looked fierce, but feminine as well. She certainly didn't look like a Falcon Blade anymore. Her headscarf was gone, replaced with a dark shawl. The loose, well camouflaged clothes she wore earlier were swapped for flowing, almost sinister looking garments. Eva wasn't sure if the Dark Mages would be impressed, but Dieke reassured her that she looked like she had been born and raised among the Dark Mages. Eva wasn't sure she liked the sound of that.

It was nighttime in the woods, and it was also the evening before Eva and Dieke would start their journey together. Eva hadn't been able to sleep, so she had crept silently out of camp to the river. She needed to hear the soft bubbling of the water, and the soothing sounds of the mysterious forest. Eva sighed contentedly. She knew that she would never tire of feeling that connection, that bond with nature that she had always craved. She could practically feel it strengthening her Gift, it was a good feeling.

"Taking a moonlit stroll, are we?" A familiar voice teased gently. Eva spun around to see Emron perched on a willow branch some feet above her head.

"Did you follow me?" Eva demanded, blushing softly. She had thought that she was alone; it was disturbing to find that she had been watched the whole time.

"Rebekkah asked me to keep an eye on you. Is that so terrible?" Emron jeered, fluttering to a lower branch so that he'd be at eye level with Eva.

"I suppose not… I guess we'll be seeing a lot more of each other once my journey begins…" Eva murmured. Rebekkah and Wersa had decided that they'd communicate with Eva through Emron; it was the easiest and safest way to ensure that Eva wouldn't be caught talking to The Falcon Blades. So long as nobody saw Eva talking to the large falcon, no suspicions would be raised.

"You should be getting some rest; you have a big day ahead of you." Emron chided gently.

"I'll head back in a moment. I just wanted to listen to the river once more before I go…" Eva trailed off, stepping carefully towards the water. She took a deep breath, letting the clean smells of the water wash over her. She opened her eyes to look at her reflection once more, and yelped. In the place of her own reflection, she saw someone else's. She turned around swiftly, looking for someone standing behind her. There was no one but Emron.

"Eva, what's wrong?!" Emron asked, flying to land on her shoulder. Eva gasped, Emron's talons dug into her skin through the thin fabric of her shirt.

"Stop grasping me so hard, you're hurting me! And look in the water, what do you see?" Eva asked, breathing heavily. Emron trained his sharp amber eyes on the water, searching for something out of the ordinary.

"I see our reflection, and some minnows. What do _you_ see?" Emron asked curiously. Eva gazed at the water, putting all of her focus into seeing it clearly.

"I see… a woman… I don't recognize her. She's not smiling or anything, she's just… there." Eva mumbled, her eyes narrowed in concentration. She gasped and straightened suddenly, causing Emron to shriek in protest. "Emron, she looks like Rebekkah!"

"Are you sure?" Emron grumbled, trying to get his bearings back. "I see nothing!"

"Of course I am! Emron, what does this mean?" Eva asked eagerly. The falcon remained silent, mulling over this new discovery quietly.

"I don't know. I'll go and tell Rebekkah, and you are to head straight to your bedroll, you've had quite enough time to relax yourself sufficiently." Emron ordered, taking off of Eva's shoulder to fly back to his master. Eva gritted her teeth, rubbing her sore shoulder. Why couldn't that bird just give her a straight answer for once?

**Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo **

**A/N: Sorry that this chapter was kind of boring. I needed to write it though, some preparation for what is to come! Thank you for all of the reviews! I really appreciate it; I probably wouldn't have kept up with this fic for so long without them! I promise more action in the next chapter!**


	13. Into the Darkness

It is one thing to tell yourself that you are willing to risk your life for a cause that you believe in. It is another thing entirely to look down at your enemy's fortress, see all of its scary inhabitants bustling about, and then just walk in like you're one of them.

"Having second thoughts?" Dieke asked smugly. Eva and Dieke were crouching on a rise that gave them an excellent view of the Dark Mages camp, and all Eva needed to do was walk down that hill (pretending to drag a protesting Dieke along with her) and request a position in the Dark Mages. But Eva had asked Dieke to stop and give her a moment before they entered the evil mages' camp.

"No!" Eva declared defiantly, shooting a glare at a smirking Dieke. "Do you want me to save your brother or not?!"

"Of course I do, I'm sorry, Eva. Take all of the time that you need." Dieke backed a couple of steps away from the testy Eva. Eva took another minute or so to give herself silent encouragement, and then she seized Dieke's wrist and starting striding purposefully down the hill towards her enemy's camp. She was in this now, there was no turning back. This thought didn't exactly cheer Eva, but it gave her the boost she needed to throw everything she had into her "act".

"What do you think you're doing?" A Dark Mage demanded, rushing forward to meet Eva. His dark cloak billowed out behind him, and a lesser girl would have backed off in fear. Eva stood her ground, and glared up at the taller man, her dark brown eyes glittering with defiance.

"I'm returning your prisoner to you, what does it look like I'm doing?!" Eva snapped, giving Dieke's wrist a sharp tug. "Take me to your leader immediately!"

"Slow down…" the Dark Mage stumbled for her name.

"Kaliska of Queen's Hill." Eva supplied, using the fake name that she and Wersa had come up with the night before. Eva rather liked it, and she thought it fit her new identity well.

"Slow down, Kaliska. Do you know who we are?" The Dark Mage asked, gesturing towards the whole camp around them.

"Don't talk down to me like I'm an idiot!" Eva snarled viciously. "I know perfectly well who you are and where I am! I'm in the camp of the Dark Mages, and I'd like to speak to the person in command here." Eva yelled, trying to sound forceful. The tall man hesitated, he looked close to giving her what she wanted, but he wasn't thick enough to obey her without question. His eyes wandered to Dieke, who was struggling convincingly against Eva's strong grasp.

"How do you know that she's our prisoner?" The Dark Mage asked, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. "For that matter where did you find her?"

"I was on my way over here, to try for a position, and I saw her running away through the woods. I caught her easily, and it was simple enough to figure out that she'd been trying to escape from here." Eva answered, thinking quickly on her feet. She didn't have very much experience in lying straight to someone's face, and she prayed silently in her head that she looked convincing enough to believe. By now a small crowd had gathered around Eva, the Dark Mage, and the whimpering Dieke.

"She's a small little thing, isn't she?" A woman in the crowd chuckled cruelly. "How old are you, girl?"

"My name is Kaliska!" Eva shouted, fiercely glaring the woman down. "And I am old enough to know not to give you my age just yet."

"Do you have the Gift?" Someone in the throng of darkly clad people hollered clearly. This set off a rumbling of whispers through the crowd, obviously this was the deciding factor of Eva's entrance. As a reply, Eva reached down for her Gift and surrounded herself in the light green glow of her magic. Using her Gift, Eva lifted a shower of dirt and pebbles into the air, creating a wall of debris between her and the crowd. After a few moments, Eva let her Gift go, and the dirt/ pebbles fell back to the ground with a soft thud.

"Does that answer your question?" Eva asked the crowd, trying to slow her breathing along with her erratically beating heart. The crowd seemed to humble a bit, and many of the people left quietly.

"Follow me; I'll take you to Marcus now." The Dark Mage grumbled, still a little uncertain. Inside, Eva rejoiced, and she chanced a wink at Dieke. Dieke's facial expression didn't change in the slightest, but she squeezed Eva's hand a little tighter. The Dark Mage weaved through the many tents and fire pits, until they came to a halt in front of a tent that was marginally bigger and fancier than the others.

"Wait out here a moment, Kaliska. Let Alan take the prisoner away." The Dark Mage explained as another Dark Mage stepped forward. Eva reluctantly let go of Dieke, and tried not to wince as Alan kicked her mercilessly. While Eva waited patiently outside of Marcus's tent, she swore to herself that the first thing she would do once she got the chance would be to rescue Dieke and her brother Ahmad.

"You may enter." A voice called from inside the large tent. Eva took a deep breath, steeling herself for whatever was yet to come, and marched into the impressive quarters of 'Marcus' whoever he might be. The tent was spacious on the inside, and simply furnished with a desk, a few chairs, and a bed in the corner. Sitting at the desk was a man with dark brown hair and eyes that were so dark, they almost appeared to be black. Eva tried to suppress a shudder, and stepped forward to sit in one of the chairs.

"So Milad tells me that you want to be a Dark Mage, and that you have the Gift. Is that correct, Kaliska?" Marcus asked, his soulless eyes staring straight into Eva's.

"Yes, I have believed in your cause my entire life, and it is my wish to join the Dark Mages." Eva said, trying to keep her voice steady. Marcus didn't take his eyes off of hers.

"I want you to tell me that again, and look straight into my eyes." Marcus ordered, leaning forward. Eva noticed a dim glow of red magic lingering about Marcus, and she figured that he was going to use his Gift to analyze whether or not she was telling the truth. She quickly wracked her brain for something to say that _was_ the truth, but would still convince Marcus. She couldn't say that she believed in the Dark Mages' cause, because that was a lie. She also couldn't say that she wanted it her entire life, so what was left for her to say?!

"I want to gain access to the Dark Mages; I believe doing so will help my cause." Eva stated, gazing straight into Marcus's eyes. Technically, she wasn't lying. She did want to join for her cause, but she didn't clarify by saying that her cause was for The Falcon Blades. But would Marcus believe her? She sincerely hoped that he would. After she spoke, the red glow that she noticed flared up even brighter and created spots on Eva's vision.

"Milad, take this one to… Adrian. Tell him to evaluate her fighting skills, and that I expect a full report by the end of this week." Marcus ordered, waving his hand at Eva dismissively. Eva brightened, apparently she had passed Marcus's test! She allowed Milad to lead her out of the tent, and tried to contain her glee. Her mind was already turning over possibilities of smuggling Dieke and Ahmad out that night, when Milad shoved her roughly towards a young man around Eva's age.

"Adrian, Marcus wants you to evaluate this girl and report to him by the end of this week." Milad commanded gruffly. Adrian bowed his head slightly, not meeting Milad's eyes. Milad nodded and left without even a simple goodbye. Eva started to speak, but was hastily shushed by Adrian who was watching Milad's retreating back.

"Wait until he's out of earshot." Adrian hissed, not even bothering to look at Eva. Eva was silently fuming, was she not even worth a spare glance from this boy?!

"Please, aren't you supposed to be my new mentor?" Eva asked, managing to keep her temper in check. Adrian finally turned to look at her, and Eva felt herself melt a little. He was _extremely_ handsome, with chestnut brown hair and bright blue eyes that sparkled in the sunlight. He wasn't smiling at the moment, but she could help but admire the perfect fullness of his lips… Eva mentally shook herself, looking away from Adrian's face. She had a mission here, and day dreaming about this boy would do her no good… no matter how handsome he looked…

"There are no mentors in the Dark Mages; you find your own way here." Adrian told her bitterly. He started to walk off, taking a twisting path through all of the tents. "First you must be enlightened before any of your training can begin, but I'd like you to tell me your name first."

"I'm E- I mean… Kaliska of Queen's Hill." Eva stammered, inwardly cursing her stupidity. She was so caught up in thinking about Adrian's good looks that she had almost told him her real name. "_Some spy I am…_" Eva thought sourly.

"It's okay," Adrian chuckled lightly. "Many of us here have false names; I won't press you for your real one, _Kaliska_." Adrian stressed her fake name, smirking in amusement. Eva felt relief flood through her, she was glad that her mistake hadn't cost her anything.

"So how did you find the Dark Mages?" Eva asked, trying to push the conversation onto him rather than her.

"I was born into them." Adrian answered tightly. Eva was about to press him further when she heard a high pitched cry coming from behind her.

"My wing, oh it hurts!" The voice wailed loudly. Eva spun around, looking for the source of the crying, but didn't see anything.

"Who said that?" Eva asked, peering into the faces of the Dark Mages milling about. No one appeared to be hurt, and yet the weeping continued steadily.

"What are you doing, Kaliska?" Adrian demanded, resting a hand on Eva's shoulder. "Nobody is talking to you, come with me to the-"

"Wait!" Eva insisted, shaking his hand off. "Someone is injured, they are crying!"

"Help me, won't you please help me?" The voice begged, a pitch quieter than it had been a moment ago.

"They are losing strength, I must find them!" Eva shouted, searching the crowd more thoroughly. Adrian stood back, watching her curiously.

"I'm down here, help me! My wing hurts so bad!" The voice cried. Eva halted abruptly, understanding dawning on her. She bent down to see a pitiful looking sparrow, soaked in its own blood. Without hesitation, Eva picked the poor bird up. She didn't even notice Adrian staring at her intently.

"What happened to you, sparrow?" Eva cooed, carefully turning his wing over.

"A cat attacked me, but didn't have the decency to finish the job," The sparrow moaned, not even fighting her as she looked at its wing. Eva didn't like what she saw; the poor bird's wing looked to be beyond repair. She was just about to ask the bird if he wanted her to attempt to fix it, when a strong set of hands snatched him from her and swiftly snapped the sparrow's neck.

"What are you doing?!" Eva demanded furiously. The hands belonged to a boy who looked to be a few years older than her, and he heartlessly tossed the sparrow to a dog sitting nearby.

"Don't waste your Gift on hopeless animals, they aren't worth it." The boy advised, looking at Eva distastefully.

"Who are you to tell me what to waste my Gift with?!" Eva yelled, advancing towards the older boy. He looked about ready to start throwing punches, but Eva didn't care. Her temper had finally been pushed too far, and she could feel her magic fighting to escape her control.

"Leave her be, Rashid!" Adrian bellowed, stepping in. "Just walk away!"

"She's the one getting snappy with me over a useless sack of feathers!" Rashid shouted angrily. "Who is she anyway?!"

"I am Kaliska of Queen's Hill." Eva answered for herself, not liking how Rashid spoke to Adrian and pointedly wouldn't look at her. "I'm new to the Dark Mages."

"Well I hope you don't last!" Rashid snarled, and ran off into a nearby tent. Adrian turned slowly to look at her.

"Starting fights isn't exactly the best way to known around here." Adrian said to the ground.

"I wasn't the one who started it, and why won't you look at me?!" Eva asked, livid that he was talking to the ground rather than look at her. Adrian looked up suddenly and met Eva's eyes squarely with his own blue ones. Eva was shocked by the intensity of his gaze, and squirmed uncomfortably.

"I saw you talking to that bird." Adrian murmured, not taking his eyes off of Eva's.

"It means nothing; everyone's Gift is unique in some way." Eva babbled, hoping that Adrian wasn't becoming suspicious of her already.

"You said _new_ _mentor_ earlier, and I happen to know that mentors and speaking to birds go hand and hand in a group known as The Falcon-" Eva slapped her hand over his mouth and pulled Adrian into a dark corner behind a bush and two tents.

"Stop it, don't you dare finish that sentence! How do you know about The Falcon Blades?" Eva hissed, crouching behind the bush. Adrian ripped Eva's hand off of his mouth and his blue eyes lit up eagerly.

"Kaliska, I _need_ to know if you are a member of The Falcon Blades! It's vitally important!"

"Why should I tell you anything?! What reason do I have to trust you?"

Eva and Adrian glared at each other for a moment, each one stubbornly waiting for the other to answer them. Finally Adrian sighed and stood up from the cover of the bush.

"Just come with me. You need to be enlightened before all else. After that, I'll show you something that should answer all of your questions."


End file.
